Alphanumeric containers

ABSTRACT

Glass, acrylic, plastic, ceramic, wood, metal or other materials are used to manufacture open top containers. The containers are rectangular in shape with an alphanumeric character cast, applied, painted, engraved, etched, etc. on it, or else they are shaped as the alphanumeric character itself. For some materials, containers are made in one piece using special molds, and for others, by joining the individual parts required to form the container shape. Containers are transparent or multi-colored. Individual containers are used for the storage or display of a plurality of articles. Any number of artistic arrangements, resulting from the articles inserted into the containers and the word or message that results from the sequencing of the alphanumeric containers, can also be achieved.

This application claims benefit of provisional application No. 60/797,204 filed May 3, 2006.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTINGS, A TABLE OR COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of art of the invention relates to class 206, Special Receptacle or Package, subclass 527 Miscellaneous.

There is apparently little or no prior art for the invention. Searching on the World Wide Web for “alphanumeric containers” yields no document matches. The same outcome is obtained for the “alphanumeric receptacles” search.

Most prior art using alphabetic characters has involved puzzles or other applications with an educational purpose. This is not the intended use for this invention, but there is no reason why it cannot be used to achieve educational goals as well.

Containers used in gift giving or for display purposes have not generally attempted to convey any meaning beyond what may be inferred from the appearance of the article or container itself. This invention provides the means to do so by its use of alphanumeric characters. Because the containers are more permanent than the means traditionally used to convey the purpose of the gift, the intention of the gift-giver can be preserved longer. The invention also functions for storage of articles, say in which the letters represent the articles stored (P for pencils, pens, etc.), or for decoration (a person's initials on a desk at an office). The alphanumeric containers allow words or messages to become part of the display in a simple and unique way. If the article displayed is perishable, as is the case of fresh flowers, the container can still be reused in many different ways, and in many different settings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to open top containers that consist of individually formed alphanumeric characters as well as rectangular containers displaying a single alphanumeric character. The character would be cast along with the entire container, or onto the face piece of the container. Alternately it can also be applied, painted, engraved, etched, or attached using any other technique employed in incorporating the aforementioned element onto any surface. Flowers (or other appropriate articles) can be inserted into the containers. A plurality of decorative arrangements, consisting of the invention, the articles inserted into it, arid the words or messages formed by the alphanumeric characters results. This invention allows anyone to create customized arrangements along with an appropriate message to express any feeling.

The containers are to be liquid tight, so that clear or colored liquids can be added to enhance the appearance of the decorative arrangement, should the material of the container be transparent. If fresh flowers are placed in the containers, water can be added for preservation purposes.

The alphanumeric containers will be manufactured using molds for the corresponding shape (either the individual characters or the rectangular shape). For some of the materials, the containers can be manufactured by using front/back/side/top and bottom panels that are joined with an appropriate adhesive. Materials for the containers include glass (colored or transparent), acrylic, plastics (transparent, translucent, or solid in color), ceramics, wood, metals and any other materials that would be appropriate considering the manufacturing processes.

The sides of the rectangular containers can be prepared so as to permit joining the individual containers into a single unit, thus simplifying the permanent sequencing of the characters required for a word or message.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the sample components of the invention in some of the variations possible.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of some of the variations of the invention [the container, as an individually formed letter and as a container with a letter on it].

FIG. 3 is a top view of the containers, showing the opening through which articles can be inserted into them.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation of some variations of the containers showing some of the articles that may be inserted into them to form the decorative or utilitarian arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 represents a perspective view of the two types of alphanumeric containers, namely the individually formed character and the rectangular container with a character on it. The reference character 1 is used to call out the opening through which articles can be introduced into the container. In the case of the rectangular containers, the opening can extend over the entire top face.

FIG. 2 shows the containers in front views, again for only four of the many possible alphanumeric containers that this invention claims.

FIG. 3 shows the containers in a top view, with the reference character 1 indicating the location of the only opening in the container. This size of this opening may vary.

FIG. 4 shows the intended use of the alphanumeric containers with articles inserted into them for purposes of storage or display. Both the individually formed character container and the rectangular container with a character on it are shown. In this illustration of the invention, no words or messages are shown, but it is clear that a sequence of the containers can be easily prepared to form any word or message that is desired. The characters used in FIG. 1 are not meant to be all-inclusive, but rather illustrative of the invention.

The decorative and expressive containers are made of glass, acrylic, plastic, ceramic, wood, metal or any other material that is used for decorative containers. They can be made in different sizes and proportions of height to width in order to appeal to the needs of the particular decorative arrangement that they become a part of. The number of containers placed together can be varied to suit the desires of the user.

When the alphanumeric characters are shaped in the form of the character itself, some unobtrusive components (in terms of the character appearance) are required to be added to permit the container to be placed on a flat surface and prevent it from toppling over. This will generally not be the case of the individual rectangular containers or the interconnected rectangular containers.

For the rectangular containers, the alphanumeric character needs to be cast on the front face, or along with the entire container, or else it must be painted, engraved, etched, or attached using any other technique employed in incorporating the aforementioned element onto any surface on the front face.

To allow maximum additional creativity in their use, the containers will be hollow, and liquid tight, so that water and other liquids can be introduced to help preserve the displayed articles (fresh flowers for example). When transparent materials are used for the containers, the liquids or finely ground materials that can be inserted through the opening can also be colored to add to the decorative possibilities of the invention.

The number of containers placed together is only limited by the words or messages that are made a part of the decorative arrangement. While this invention has been described in terms of the preferred designs, the present invention may be further modified within the spirit and essential characteristics of the disclosure. This application is therefore meant to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention using the general principles contained in this disclosure. This application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as coming within the meaning and customary practice of the art to which this invention pertains. 

1. A system of open top containers incorporating alphanumeric characters for storage or display of a plurality of articles, in which the containers can be further decorated and arranged so as to form initials, words, or all manner of messages to achieve a decorative arrangement.
 2. The containers of claim 1 in the shape of the alphanumeric character, made as a single unit if obtained from casting in a mold, or as a joined assembly of the front, back, side, top and bottom faces required for the character.
 3. The containers of claim 1 in a rectangular shape, made as a single unit if obtained from casting in a mold, or as a joined assembly of the font, back, side, top and bottom faces, for the purpose of applying, painting, engraving, embossing, etching, or attaching using any other technique employed in incorporating an alphanumeric character onto any surface on the front face.
 4. The containers of claim 1 in a rectangular shape, made as a single unit if obtained from casting in a mold, or as a joined assembly of the font, back, side, top and bottom faces, in which the alphanumeric character is an integral part of the mold's front face, or an integral part of the mold used to create the front face in the joined assembly.
 5. The containers of claim 3 or 4 made so as to permit interconnection of the individual containers to each other in order to easily maintain the sequence and integrity of the arrangement when words or messages are assembled.
 6. The containers of claim 3 without any markings so as to be used as required for separation between words as is required by claim
 5. 7. The size and proportions of the containers in claim 1 is limited only by the properties of the materials used, and the manufacturing techniques necessary for their creation. 